Lopez's big hit lifts Brewers to 6-1 win over SD

Aug 3, 2009 - 12:49 AM
SAN DIEGO(AP) -- The Milwaukee Brewers got an unexpected lift from
a trio of players and Trevor Hoffman was able to put his
homecoming behind him.

Milwaukee got key hits from reserves Felipe Lopez and Frank
Catalanotto in a five-run seventh inning and Carlos Villanueva
threw five shutout innings in the Brewers' 6-1 win over the
Padres on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

The afternoon was capped off by the first appearance of Hoffman,
baseball's all-time saves leader with 577, back in San Diego
where he played for 16 seasons. Hoffman, who left on strained
terms with the Padres' front office, entered in the ninth to a
standing ovation from what remained of the crowd of 23,696.

Hoffman signed with Milwaukee as a free agent in the offseason
after the Padres pulled their only contract offer off the table.

More importantly, for the Brewers, was avoiding a sweep at hands
of San Diego, which is in last place in the NL West.

"We're looking to get any one (win) we can right now," said
manager Ken Macha of his Brewers, who won for just the fourth
time in 11 games.

Catalanotto broke a 1-all tie with an RBI single in the seventh
followed three batters later by Lopez's three-run double that
broke open the game.

"We got the timely hits when we needed to," Catalanotto said.
"We need to do more of this and get things turned around."

The loss snapped San Diego's five-game winning streak.

Mitch Stetter (3-1) got the final two outs of the sixth and
earned the win, combining with four pitchers to allow just five
hits against a Padres' lineup that had at least 10 in five
straight games.

Although Hoffman, who has 23 saves this season, did not come
into a save situation, he was glad to have the chance to pitch
before the fans who made him one of the most popular players in
franchise history.

"In the heat of the moment right there, I'm trying to preserve
the win and get some outs," said Hoffman in response to a
question about whether he was nervous. "There were times
throughout the three days here I had some neat moments with some
people that took place. It was perfect."

Milwaukee got a solid outing from Villanueva, who made his
second start of the season after 43 relief appearances. The
right-hander held the Padres in check as he allowed two hits
through five shutout innings. Most of San Diego's baserunners
came on Villanueva's four walks.

The outing was much better than Villanueva's other start on
Tuesday, when the right-hander lost 8-3 against Washington. He
allowed five runs on eight hits in four innings of that one.

"It felt pretty good because I was able to execute," said
Villanueva. "I got myself in trouble with the walks, but I was
able to make pitches when I had to."

He also used two key double plays to escape trouble.

In the third inning, San Diego loaded the bases when Villanueva
got Adrian Gonzalez to hit into an inning-ending double play. He
then got pitcher Kevin Correia (7-9) to hit into a double play
in the fifth with runners on first and second and no outs. After
Correia faked a bunt, he pulled back his bat and hit the ball
right back to Villanueva.

"Looking back, I could've just tried to bunt them over," Correia
said. "But it was a situation where it was wide open to do. If I
hit it anywhere else, it gets the job done."

The Brewers' big seventh inning got going with Casey McGehee's
one-out single and a double by Mike Cameron that knocked out
Correia.

Joe Thatcher came in and gave up a single to Catalanotto to put
the Brewers ahead 2-1. Rookie Luke Gregerson relieved Thatcher
and after a strikeout, hit pinch-hitter Jody Gerut to load the
bases. Lopez then hit a line drive down the right-field line to
score three runs.

Craig Counsell followed with an RBI single to make the score
6-1.

Correia was charged with three runs and two hits over 6 1-3
innings.

San Diego tied the game at 1-all in the sixth on Adrian
Gonzalez's RBI double off reliever Claudio Vargas, which scored
Everth Cabrera.

NOTES: The Brewers won for the fifth time in their last 17 road
games. ... Hoffman faced San Diego for just the third time in
his career. His other two appearances came in 1993 with the
Florida Marlins.